Mic Harrison and the High Score: “Vanishing South”

Mic Harrison and the High Score is one of the South’s most reliable acts. When a new album arrives it’s pretty much guaranteed to become a favorite soundtrack for the season. The band’s fifth full-length album is the group’s most instantly lovable yet.

Harrison — who first found acclaim as co-lead singer-songwriter with beloved Knoxville band the V-Roys — has always had a talent with hooks, and the High Score — guitarist Robbie Trosper, bassist Vance Hillard and drummer Don Coffey Jr. (the Superdrag veteran who replaced departed drummer Brad Henderson) — are masters at making songs sparkle. On album highlights like “Home,” “Never Be This Way Again” and “Warm Winter Day,” the band sounds particularly tight.

The band has always slid easily between honky-tonk country and power pop on records. In concert, especially on the Trosper-led numbers, there was also a more punk edge. On “Vanishing South” the band sands off any roughness. Instead of Trosper adding a couple of vocal numbers, as is typical, the disc includes the fun instrumental “Murder Surf,” which lets Trosper’s guitar work take center stage and lets the band show a slightly different side. It’s also a plus having guests Albert Murrian (keyboards) and Jason Thompson (saxophone) sit in on songs.

Overall, “Vanishing South,” is a little more pop than normal; more like Harrison’s pre-High Score album “Pallbearer’s Shoes,” but not so tied to its era.

“Vanishing South” will probably sound as fresh 20 years later as it does today — if your copy doesn’t get worn out from playing it now.

Flamin’ Groovies: “Live 1971 San Francisco”

There’s a very good argument to be made that San Francisco’s Flamin’ Groovies were the very first punk band, even if they did form about a decade before anyone uttered the word “punk” when referring to music. Long before the Ramones, the Groovies were mining 1950s rock ‘n’ roll and taking rock back to its simplest and catchiest roots. They were loud. They were loose. They were lovably obnoxious and they were definitely not bowing to current trends. All the things that punk would come to cherish, the Groovies embodied without even knowing it.

During the band’s heyday, the Groovies created a string of albums that hardly anyone bought or heard, but that have since become considered classics. “Flamingo” (1970) and especially “Teenage Head” (1971) are particularly terrific. It wasn’t until the punk era was getting into swing that the Dave Edmunds-produced album “Shake Some Action” (1976) started to gain the group the acclaim they were due, but they remain one of the greatest rock acts you probably never heard.

“Live 1971 San Francisco” finds the band performing for the closing shows of Bill Graham’s famous Fillmore West. The performance includes primal rock ‘n’ roll covers of The Who’s “I Can’t Explain,” Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller,” “Shakin’ All Over” and Randy Newman’s “Have You Seen My Baby,” along with terrific Groovies originals including “Teenage Head” and the then-yet-to-be-released “Slow Death.” The sound isn’t very good. In fact, at times, it’s just awful. However, the energy of the band is great and the performance’s place in history is pretty large.

In the liner notes, Groovies guitarist Cyril Jordan writes that he remembers the show well and that he was surprised that Graham, whose fondness for the band came and went, invited the Groovies to perform. Jordan also remembered being electrocuted by the sound setup both during sound check and after the show and that it was the last show with founding singer Roy Loney.

Hearing Loney’s vocals on “Slow Death” (arguably the band’s greatest song), which he co-wrote with Jordan, is a particular pleasure considering Loney had left the group before the song was recorded in the studio.

“Live 1971” isn’t the place to start with the Groovies — find a copy of “Groovies’ Greatest Grooves” for an excellent overview — but for hardcore fans, this is an essential performance.

Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 865-342-6444 or wayne.bledsoe@knoxville.com. He is also the host of "All Over the Road," midnight to 3 a.m. Saturday nights/Sunday mornings, and the "6 O'Clock Swerve," at 6 p.m. Thursdays on WDVX-FM.